The purpose of this study was to investigate project managers´ perceptions of the importance of motivation within real estate projects. The study also aimed to examine how project managers promote and maintain motivation amongst project members. Real estate projects referred to projects for renovation, conversion, or new construction of properties. A qualitative research method was employed for data collection through semi-structured interviews. Nine project managers working in the Swedish real estate industry were interviewed. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of the collected data was conducted. The thematic analysis resulted in three themes formulated as Success factor versus Upward Push, The art of motivating and Motivation per circumstance. The results indicate that project managers perceive motivation as a positive driving force in real estate projects. It is considered important for both project managers and project members to be motivated. Furthermore, the results show that the perception of the significance of motivation within real estate projects is divided. Some project managers perceive motivation as critical for the success of a project, while others believe that real estate projects are often influenced by external circumstances that are more decisive for the outcome of the project. Motivation is therefore considered in those cases rather to add an extra edge to the projects. To promote and maintain motivation amongst project members, project managers believe it is important to build personal relationships, work with feedback and encourage the expression of opinions.

A broader research project was undertaken on experiences of care and respect within intergenerational relationships. The current study, which forms part of this project, focused more specifically on adolescents’ motivations for providing care to persons older than 60 years. Care is normally expressed in the interactions between people, and in this instance between generational members. In the African context, care between generational members is important because care is particularly provided in a social and familial context between generations and not necessarily by the government in terms of formal care services. Care, specifically for older persons has become a scarce commodity. In the light of different aspects like the growing older population, poverty, unemployment, and HIV/AIDS certain structural changes in families and between generations have come about. The changes influenced caregiving by delivering a larger number of dependant persons and a lack of capacity to provide care. Adolescents are important in the relationship with older persons, because often the relationship between persons from different generations, who find themselves in a deprived environment, is the only source for the provision of care. The findings of this study can possibly give an indication of how care in relation to older persons are being motivated in order to better plan for the care needs of older persons. The motivation for demonstrating care is particularly important because some motivation types are perceived to encourage more sustainable actions and caregiving than others. Currently intergenerational support and care are in short supply, suggesting the presence of less sustainable types of motivation. Care, in this study, refers to the satisfaction of social goals and psychological needs by means of tangible (instrumental/physical care) and intangible (emotional care) exchanges between intergenerational members. Intergenerational care encompasses upward and downward care. Upward care occurs when care is transferred from a younger generation to older persons, while downward care refers to care provided by older persons to younger people. Previous studies referred mostly to informal caregiving, downward care, or upward care provided by adult children. A limited number of studies exist of upward care provided by adolescents, specifically to persons older than 60, and research on younger people’s motivations for care is also rare. The theoretical framework that informs this study is Self-Determination Theory (SDT). This theory revolves around motivation, known as the force that compels one to act, or to conduct an activity such as care. SDT includes two broad categories of motivation types, namely autonomous and controlled motivations. The autonomous (self-determined) motivation category includes intrinsic motivation (i.e. conduct that stems from the inherently satisfying experience a particular activity offers), along with two well-internalized extrinsic motivation subtypes (namely identification and integrated regulation). Controlled motivation includes two more controlled and less internalized motivation subtypes (namely external and introjected regulation). Extrinsic motivation is when an activity is performed for a separate and external outcome. The different types of motivation consequently incorporate differing levels of self-determination to conduct certain activities. The more autonomous (self-determined) the motivation, the more sustainable actions of care. Adolescents are capable in terms of ego and cognitive development to be more self-determined and intrinsically motivated. Even though they may have the capacity to be more self-determined motivated, this is not always the case. Persons at this stage of psychosocial development according to Erikson’s lifespan approach focus more on peer relationships, and tend to conform to community expectations and social group norms. In such cases adolescents may experience motivations that include less self-determined motivation types, because they are controlled by external expectations and norms. Unfortunately less self-determined motivation types may also produce less sustainable care actions. A qualitative research method was applied to describe adolescents’ experiences of care in relation to older persons. In the findings, motivation for care was a major theme and it was therefore decided to focus only on this aspect in this study. The participants included 15 Setswana-speaking adolescents (seven boys and eight girls) between the ages of 12 and 16, who were selected by means of a nonprobability convenience sampling method. Data were collected in an economically vulnerable community where the participants lived, Vaalharts agricultural valley in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. This community is considered economically vulnerable because the majority of its members receive only irregular income and have to rely on meagre government grants to support multi-generational households. 15 Participants were included in the research; eight individuals participated in the Mmogo-method®, a projective visual data-gathering method, and all 15 participants completed self-reflective journal entries to supplement the data. During the Mmogo-method® session, participants were asked to build something that would show how they experienced care in relation to a person older than 60, using a lump of clay, grass stalks and beads. The self-reflective research journals included semi-structured questions to guide the participants. Descriptive phenomenological psychological, thematic, and visual analysis was employed to analyse the collected data. Credibility, dependability, transferability and conformability were applied to ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Moreover, ethical research conduct was ensured by applying the guidelines provided by the Department of Health for responsible and ethical research conduct in South Africa as well as the framework provided in Chapter 9 of the National Health Act 61 of 2003. Firstly a perceived absence of older persons in caring relationships emerged from the findings. The findings further revealed that the younger generation was moved by external stimuli such as observing struggling older persons or by obeying older persons’ explicit requests for help, to provide physical/instrumental care to older persons. In response to external stimuli adolescents were extrinsically motivated to care which was observed in obedience and perspective taking. The participants were also extrinsically motivated by feelings of obligation; to ensure older persons‟ happiness; from their submissive position in relation to older persons; and for returning care that were bestowed on them by the older persons. However, although the participants were extrinsically motivated to care, different levels of self-determination and self-choice seemed to be present in their behaviour. These findings provide a broader awareness with regard to adolescents’ motivations for care provision. The knowledge gained from this project could serve to inform intergenerational programmes designed to facilitate feelings of autonomy and emphasize gratitude as a motivator in intergenerational and interpersonal environments. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The main aim of the study is to compare the extent to which the need for autonomy, relatedness and competence of baby boomers, generation X, Y and Z employees of Denel Dynamics is being satisfied and how this influences motivational strategies. The issue of generation is becoming more important due to different ways and methods required to manage different generations. A quantitative study was done by means of a structured questionnaire which was used in to determine the motivational preferences of the participants. This questionnaire was developed by Van den Broeck, Vansteenkiste, De Witte, Soenens and Lens (2010) and is based on the self-determination theory developed by Deci and Ryan. Results indicate that baby boomers have a stronger need for autonomy as compared to the other generations. Similar needs for relatedness were shown by all the generations. In view of the findings, recommendations are made to management to optimize motivational strategies and these recommendations show how each generational needs relating to self-determination theory should be addressed. / MBA (Business Administration), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

A broader research project was undertaken on experiences of care and respect within intergenerational relationships. The current study, which forms part of this project, focused more specifically on adolescents’ motivations for providing care to persons older than 60 years. Care is normally expressed in the interactions between people, and in this instance between generational members. In the African context, care between generational members is important because care is particularly provided in a social and familial context between generations and not necessarily by the government in terms of formal care services. Care, specifically for older persons has become a scarce commodity. In the light of different aspects like the growing older population, poverty, unemployment, and HIV/AIDS certain structural changes in families and between generations have come about. The changes influenced caregiving by delivering a larger number of dependant persons and a lack of capacity to provide care. Adolescents are important in the relationship with older persons, because often the relationship between persons from different generations, who find themselves in a deprived environment, is the only source for the provision of care. The findings of this study can possibly give an indication of how care in relation to older persons are being motivated in order to better plan for the care needs of older persons. The motivation for demonstrating care is particularly important because some motivation types are perceived to encourage more sustainable actions and caregiving than others. Currently intergenerational support and care are in short supply, suggesting the presence of less sustainable types of motivation. Care, in this study, refers to the satisfaction of social goals and psychological needs by means of tangible (instrumental/physical care) and intangible (emotional care) exchanges between intergenerational members. Intergenerational care encompasses upward and downward care. Upward care occurs when care is transferred from a younger generation to older persons, while downward care refers to care provided by older persons to younger people. Previous studies referred mostly to informal caregiving, downward care, or upward care provided by adult children. A limited number of studies exist of upward care provided by adolescents, specifically to persons older than 60, and research on younger people’s motivations for care is also rare. The theoretical framework that informs this study is Self-Determination Theory (SDT). This theory revolves around motivation, known as the force that compels one to act, or to conduct an activity such as care. SDT includes two broad categories of motivation types, namely autonomous and controlled motivations. The autonomous (self-determined) motivation category includes intrinsic motivation (i.e. conduct that stems from the inherently satisfying experience a particular activity offers), along with two well-internalized extrinsic motivation subtypes (namely identification and integrated regulation). Controlled motivation includes two more controlled and less internalized motivation subtypes (namely external and introjected regulation). Extrinsic motivation is when an activity is performed for a separate and external outcome. The different types of motivation consequently incorporate differing levels of self-determination to conduct certain activities. The more autonomous (self-determined) the motivation, the more sustainable actions of care. Adolescents are capable in terms of ego and cognitive development to be more self-determined and intrinsically motivated. Even though they may have the capacity to be more self-determined motivated, this is not always the case. Persons at this stage of psychosocial development according to Erikson’s lifespan approach focus more on peer relationships, and tend to conform to community expectations and social group norms. In such cases adolescents may experience motivations that include less self-determined motivation types, because they are controlled by external expectations and norms. Unfortunately less self-determined motivation types may also produce less sustainable care actions. A qualitative research method was applied to describe adolescents’ experiences of care in relation to older persons. In the findings, motivation for care was a major theme and it was therefore decided to focus only on this aspect in this study. The participants included 15 Setswana-speaking adolescents (seven boys and eight girls) between the ages of 12 and 16, who were selected by means of a nonprobability convenience sampling method. Data were collected in an economically vulnerable community where the participants lived, Vaalharts agricultural valley in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. This community is considered economically vulnerable because the majority of its members receive only irregular income and have to rely on meagre government grants to support multi-generational households. 15 Participants were included in the research; eight individuals participated in the Mmogo-method®, a projective visual data-gathering method, and all 15 participants completed self-reflective journal entries to supplement the data. During the Mmogo-method® session, participants were asked to build something that would show how they experienced care in relation to a person older than 60, using a lump of clay, grass stalks and beads. The self-reflective research journals included semi-structured questions to guide the participants. Descriptive phenomenological psychological, thematic, and visual analysis was employed to analyse the collected data. Credibility, dependability, transferability and conformability were applied to ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Moreover, ethical research conduct was ensured by applying the guidelines provided by the Department of Health for responsible and ethical research conduct in South Africa as well as the framework provided in Chapter 9 of the National Health Act 61 of 2003. Firstly a perceived absence of older persons in caring relationships emerged from the findings. The findings further revealed that the younger generation was moved by external stimuli such as observing struggling older persons or by obeying older persons’ explicit requests for help, to provide physical/instrumental care to older persons. In response to external stimuli adolescents were extrinsically motivated to care which was observed in obedience and perspective taking. The participants were also extrinsically motivated by feelings of obligation; to ensure older persons‟ happiness; from their submissive position in relation to older persons; and for returning care that were bestowed on them by the older persons. However, although the participants were extrinsically motivated to care, different levels of self-determination and self-choice seemed to be present in their behaviour. These findings provide a broader awareness with regard to adolescents’ motivations for care provision. The knowledge gained from this project could serve to inform intergenerational programmes designed to facilitate feelings of autonomy and emphasize gratitude as a motivator in intergenerational and interpersonal environments. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The main aim of the study is to compare the extent to which the need for autonomy, relatedness and competence of baby boomers, generation X, Y and Z employees of Denel Dynamics is being satisfied and how this influences motivational strategies. The issue of generation is becoming more important due to different ways and methods required to manage different generations. A quantitative study was done by means of a structured questionnaire which was used in to determine the motivational preferences of the participants. This questionnaire was developed by Van den Broeck, Vansteenkiste, De Witte, Soenens and Lens (2010) and is based on the self-determination theory developed by Deci and Ryan. Results indicate that baby boomers have a stronger need for autonomy as compared to the other generations. Similar needs for relatedness were shown by all the generations. In view of the findings, recommendations are made to management to optimize motivational strategies and these recommendations show how each generational needs relating to self-determination theory should be addressed. / MBA (Business Administration), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Vid rehabilitering efter en idrottsskada kan man se dålig följsamhet av rehabiliteringsträningen och en av de främsta orsakerna som påverkar hur rehabiliteringen efterföljs och utgången av den är idrottarens motivation. Här kan man se hur det framförallt är en autonom motivation som resulterar i att rehabiliteringsträningen utförs. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka upplevda motivationsfaktorer hos damfotbollsspelare i samband med rehabilitering efter en idrottsskada och i vilken utsträckning som dessa motivationsfaktorer sågs som autonoma. Metod: Kvalitativa intervjuer utifrån en semi-strukturerad intervjuguide med damfotbollsspelare som genomgår en rehabilitering efter en idrottsskada analyserade med innehållsanalys och utifrån självbestämmande teorin. Resultat: Motivationsfaktorerna som upplevdes var motiven till varför de utförde rehabiliteringsträningen, sina målsättningar, ett socialt stöd samt av en extern och intern press. Den upplevda autonomin varierade något men överlag var det en yttre motivation som drev dem varpå beteendet därmed inte var helt självbestämt. Resultat är tänkt att ge en ökad förståelse för damfotbollsspelarnas motivation i samband med deras rehabilitering så att sjukgymnaster, tränare m.fl. som är en del i rehabiliteringsprocessen kan bidra till att öka den autonoma motivationen och på så sätt förbättra följsamheten och utgången av rehabiliteringen. / When rehabilitating after a sports injury poor adherence of the rehabilitation program can be seen and one of the main causes that affects if the rehabilitation is followed and the outcome of it is the athlete’s motivation. Here you can see how it is primarily an autonomous motivation that results in a rehabilitation training that is performed. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the perceived motivations of female football players during rehabilitation after a sports injury and the extent to which these motivators were seen as autonomous. Method: Qualitative interviews based on a semi-structured interview guide with female football players undergoing rehabilitation after a sports injury analyzed with content analysis and the basis of the self-determination theory. Results: The players were motivated by the reasons to why they performed the rehabilitation, their goals, social support and an external and internal pressure. The perceived autonomy varied somewhat but overall it was an external motivation that drove them whereupon behavior therefore was not entirely self-determined. Results are supposed to provide a better understanding of women's football players' motivation in relation to their rehabilitation so physical therapists, coaches, etc. which is part of the rehabilitation process can contribute to increasing the autonomous motivation and thus improve compliance and outcome of rehabilitation.

Through a qualitative investigation, this study explored what motivated Indian faculty to seek academic positions at universities in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. instead of returning to India after completing their doctorates in one of these countries. Twenty-four in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted over a two-year period with STEM Indian faculty who received their undergraduate degrees in India but their doctorates abroad and who were currently teaching at universities in one of the three aforementioned countries. While there have been several studies investigating trends in international student mobility, few studies have investigated mobility trends amongst faculty, especially those faculty who leave developing nations, such as India, for jobs in first world countries. Theories on globalization, internationalization and brain drain/migration studies guided this study and several theoretical lenses, such as Self Determination Theory, Transnationalism and Social Network Theory, were used to analyze the data. While push-pull literature argues that individuals might be pushed from their home countries because of poor salaries, lacking infrastructure, and lack of access to resources, this study revealed that it was poor communication on behalf of the Indian universities, departmental politics and rigid academic systems that demotivated these participants from returning. This study provides a framework for future research on the complicated process involved in faculty decision-making with regards to career trajectory and possibly how to approach future studies on the complicated job process for international faculty seeking employment outside their native countries.

Sammanfattning Ideella ledare är en stor del av idrotten i Sverige och dessa ledare är i sin tur väldigt viktiga för idrottsrörelsen då de kan anses vara de största bidragsgivarna idrottsrörelsen har. Ett ideellt engagemang är något man gör på sin fritid och är således oavlönat. Undersökningen riktar sig mot mindre föreningar och i synnerhet cykelföreningar. I mindre föreningar tenderar det ofta att vara samma personer som är aktivitets- och organisationsledare vilket skiljer sig ifrån större föreningar där man ofta är det ena eller det andra. Syftet med studien är att undersöka ideella ledare i mindre cykelföreningar. Detta för att förstå hur man ska behålla dessa ledare med en god motivation då de även ofta sitter på flera poster när det gäller mindre föreningar. För att svara på syftet och frågeställningarna så har jag använt mig av motivationsteorin Self-Determination Theory. Detta är en kvalitativ undersökning som omfattar sex respondentintervjuer inom mindre cykelföreningar. Jag har använt mig av halvstrukturerade intervjuer och därefter gjort en kvalitativ innehållsanalys för att tolka data. Huvudresultatet visar på att ideella ledare i föreningarna beskriver en inre motivation och att man tenderar att bemöta deltagarna med en öppenhet. I diskussionen visar jag studiens resultat med tidigare forskning och teorier. Resultaten visar även konkreta tips för att stärka den inre motivationen hos ideella ledare vilket kan vara till nytta för ideella föreningar och organisationer. / Abstract Sports in Sweden has its foundation among voluntary coaches. Those coaches are very important for Swedish sports as they are often seen to be very important to the sport. A voluntary engagement is something done in your spare time and it is unpaid. This study is aimed at smaller sports clubs, especially in the sport of cycling. Often it is the same person that is a coach for training and also are involved in organization, this differs from larger sport clubs. The aim of this study is to examine voluntary coaches in smaller cycling clubs. Understanding how to keep these coaches with great motivation is important also in other places within the organization because of the smaller club. To do this I have used a motivational theory named Self-Determination Theory. In this study I have used qualitative approach as well as I have done six interviews among coaches in cycle clubs. I have used semi-structured interview method and then I have analyzed my data with a qualitative content analysis. The main finding of this study shows that voluntary coaches often are inspired by an intrinsic motivation, and that the coaches often meet their followers with openness. In the discussion, the results of this study get related to earlier research and theories. There I also show a concrete tip for how to strengthen intrinsic motivation in voluntary coaches. This can be useful by voluntary clubs and organizations.

Student engagement in academic work is critical for learning and scholastic achievement. Fortunately, an abundance of empirical evidence and engagement theories recommend what educational contexts are most likely to engage students in learning. Yet the epidemic of adolescent disengagement in schools suggests there is a gap, even a chasm, between student engagement research and practice. This study addresses this critical void in the literature; to understand how education theory can inform practice to improve the quality of student engagement in learning. I approached my research question, “How do secondary social studies teachers promote and sustain student engagement in academic work?” through the lens of self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2002). Self-determination theory suggests that teachers’ support of students’ psychological needs for autonomy (e.g. by minimizing coercion, maximizing student voices and choices, providing meaningful rationales for learning), competence (e.g. by providing challenging work along with structures and feedback to promote self-efficacy), and relatedness (e.g. by developing warm and caring relationships in the classroom) facilitates and promotes student engagement. Using a multiple case study design, rich and varied data collection processes, and directed qualitative content analysis, I explored how social studies teachers may support (or thwart) their students’ needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. The students in this study confirmed their needs for autonomy, to engage in “real discussions” with their peers and make decisions about important problems. They shared that they engage in learning when activities are meaningful, real world and worth their effort. I found that social studies teachers support autonomy by developing students’ emotional, personal, social, conceptual and authentic connections to the content. In addition, I confirmed that warm and trusting classroom relationships, coupled with challenging, organized and structured learning experiences that promote student efficacy, support students’ needs for relatedness and competency in the classroom. Accordingly, engaging students in academic work necessitates that teachers meet all three of these basic needs. By exploring engagement through the experiences of teachers and students in real classroom settings, I provide social studies educators with a rich and user-friendly understanding of how student engagement can be developed and sustained.

Engagement is an increasingly important construct in organizational and educational settings. Research indicates that engagement is positively related to satisfaction, commitment, and performance in the workplace. This study investigated the relationship of Total Engagement to complete a thesis with Self-Determination Theory individual motivational constructs, the personality constructs of Psychological Capital and Core Self-Evaluations, and the experiential construct of Flow Propensity. The results indicated significant relationships between all constructs and engagement. Further, Psychological Capital and Flow Propensity explained 55% of the variance in Total Engagement to complete a thesis.